Sprinkler device



Aug. 20, 1963 c, 055 3,101,176

SPRINKLER DEVICE Filed A ril 9, 1962 iiiiilll INVENTOR. f/EEBERT C. 6 8$BY7/(/977MM7 United StatesPatent O 3,101,176 SPRINKLER DEVICE HerbertC'Goss, 1 32. Woodside Road, Glenshaw, Pat

FiledApr. 9, 1962, Ser. No. 186,613

2-Claims. c1. 239-5524).

This invention relates to a sprinkler device which is usable fordividing a fiow of water under pressure into a finely divided mist formand distributing suchmist into a prescribed area forwatering plant life.This proposed usage is illustrative of the utility of the invention andis connection with the sprinkler device 1 4.

z coupling or the like and adaptedto form awater-tight The device 14comprises a sleeve 16 having threads 18 which correspond with threads 12and is ofi brass or the like construction to make it non-cornosiyel *Aconical section 20' having" an internal funnel surface 22 terniifialting at a discharge orifice'24is-constr1icted integrally with the sleeve.16. The outer surface of'the sleeve has regunot the sole usage to whichmy invention can be put. 'f; a

This application is a continuation-in-part of my'copending applicationSeria1 No. 138,348, new abandoned,-filed September 15, 1961.

It is one of the objects of theinven'tion to provide a watering devicewhich will use the water supply pressure as the energy source forconverting the laminar flow of water into finely divided droplets ormist which is then distributed uniformly over a prescribed area so thatsub stantially all portions of the area receive uniform satura tion. Theinvention is ideally suited for greenhouse, lawn and garden as well asgeneral agriculture usage because the fine droplets ofwater, whensettling, will not bend the foliage or damage the soil by furrowing orthe like; in-" -stead, all areas are saturated uniformly so that eachportion of the land covered is equally irrigated.

A further object of the invention is to utilize a minimum amount of thewater energy for converting the water flow into a mist spray so thatthere is a substantial balance of energy for effecting the widestpossible distribution of the spray. It is thus possible, withconventional urban water pressure to irrigate a substantial area .ofland.

It is a further object of the invention to convert the laminar flow ofwater always into a fine mistregardless,

coaxial with the orifice fonned thereby is a stem which carries at itsforward end a bafiie which produces the desired umbrella spray. It hasbeen found that in order to produce a fine mist, the radius of a filletbetween the stem and battle must be inch, and furthermore the lowersurface of the baffie must be disposed at an angle in the range of about11 to 13 degrees with respect to a plane perpendicular to the axis ofthe nozzle and preferably 12 degrees. Furthermore, the diameter of thebaffle should be in the range of about 2.50 to 3 times the diameter ofthe stem and preferably 2.75 times the diameter of the stern.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from aconsideration of the following description which proceeds with referenceto the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of a conduit having my inventioninstalled thereon; and

FIG. 2 is a section view taken through the center of the conduit andsprinkler device shown in FIG. '1.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 a conduit orpipe 10 having threads 12 which are adapted for mounting a sprinklerdesignated generally by reference numeral 14. It should be understood,that the sprinkler device -14 is not limited in its usage to connectionwith the solid pipe 10, a flexible hose is also usable having a suitablemale end provided with threads, snaplarly constructed'sides 26 tovfacilitat e grippingthereof with a tool suchas awrench or the like andthereby turning the device l4 ontothe threads 12. The interior of thedevice l4includes two shoulders 28 and 3'0"which provide seats for the'end32fof the conduit 10} and an insert 34 which has" throughpassagesuisfi.

"unted'at th -center' 'oftheinsert '34' is a stem 3ii which issupported-by the insert 34- and has at one end a barrier or baflle 40with an annular impingement surface 42 which is located closely adjacentthe'orifice 24 to provide an impingement surface for the annular streamofwater passing outwardly'thr-ough the orifice 24. The

l annular v impingement surface 42is inclined at an angle Awhichisabout- 11 to 13 in magnitude to a plane perpendicular to the axisof the nozzle and preferahly12 That is, the lower surface of the baffiemust be in the range of 77 to 79 with respect to the flow of waterthrough the nozzle and preferably-78. It'has been found that this angleis quite important in its effecton converting the laminar flow to theform of a fine mist best suited for irrigating. If this angle is variedsubstantially from the prescribed 11 to 13 range, then the mist changesto a coarser droplet not as well suited for the intended irrigatingpurposes.

Also found to have a critical efiect on the quality of flow is the sizeof the radius connecting stenrfifi. with J baffle 40; the ideal sizeradius is a %4. inch regardlessof the'dim-ensions of the nozzle.Furthermore, the diameter of the baffle 40 should be in the range of 2.5to 3 times the diameter of stem 38 and preferably 2.75 times thediameter of the stem. For example, in one embodiment of the inventionWhich'has been found to operate satis factorily, the diameter of thebaffle 40 was inch and that of the stem 38, inch. y 1

When the water source is turned on, the flow of water through theconduit leads naturally to the distribution device 20 because of thepressure drop through the orifice 24 and the flow is converted from alaminar flow to a fine mist umbrella, uniformly andgently irrigating thesoil in a circular area around-the device14.

The extent of the area can be controlled to some degree by adjusting thestem 38 upwardly or downwardlyto vary the clearance between the annularsurface, 42 and the The invention isnot limited to locating thedistributing device in the posit-ion shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The deviceworks equally well when it is turned and is supported as a dependingstructure as well as a standard.

While the present invention has been described in connection with asingle example embodiment thereof, it will be understood that this isexemplary of the invention and is in no sense restrictive thereof. .Itis reasonably to be expected that those skilled in the art can makenumerous revisions and adaptations of the invention to suit india"-plurality of 'circularly arranged' eluding a complementary fasteningsecured to said conduit and having an outlet orifice therein, apositioning member I disposed within said sleeveand 'held in fixedrelation thereby, means providing arplurality of spaced through passageswithin said positioning member to disperse the flow Within said conduit,means informing a constricting channel for directing the dispersed flowto said outlet orifice, a circular baffle disposed transversely t0 theflow of water emerging from said orifice and located at an angle in therange of 77 to 79 relative to the direction of flow in said channel todirect the flow outwardly and slightly upwardly in the form of a finecircular mist distribution, cylindrical stem means provided between saidpositioning member and said baflle to support said 'bafile at apredetermined elevation above said outlet :orifice, the

surface of the stem means communicating with the sur-i face of thebaflie through a inch radius, and thediameter of the baifie being in therange of 2.5 -to 3 times the diameter of the stem means.

. -2. t A Water sprinkling device comprising coupling means for securingsaid device to .a water source, means providing an outlet orifice for aflow of water from said source, an annular abutment surface spacedclosely adjacent said outlet orifice and at an angle of substantially 78to the direction of water flow to provide an impingement obstacle tosaid flow which is thereby divided into a fine mist upon strikingthereagainst, a generally cylindrical stem for supporting said abutmentsurface and extending substantially parallel with said water flow, thesurface of said cylindrical stem communicating with said annularabutment surface through a inch radius, and the diameter of the abutmentsurface being in the range of 2.5 to 3 times the diameter of the stem.

- References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

2. A WATER SPRINKLING DEVICE COMPRISING COUPLING MEANS FOR SECURING SAIDDEVICE TO A WATER SOURCE, MEANS PROVIDING AN OUTLET ORIFICE FOR A FLOWOF WATER FROM SAID SOURCE, AN ANNULAR ABUTMENT SURFACE SPACED CLOSELYADJACENT SAID OUTLET ORIFICE AND AT AN ANGLE OF SUBSTANTIALLY 78* TO THEDIRECTION OF WATER FLOW TO PROVIDE AN IMPINGEMENT OBSTACLE TO SAID FLOWWHICH IS THEREBY DIVIDED INTO A FINE MIST UPON STRIKING THEREAGAINST, AGENERALLY CYLINDRICAL STEM FOR SUPPORTING SAID ABUTMENT SURFACE ANDEXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL WITH SAID WATER FLOW, THE SURFACE OFSAID CYLINDRICAL STEM COMMUNICATING WITH SAID ANNULAR ABUTMENT SURFACETHROUGH A 3/64 INCH RADIUS, AND THE DIAMETER OF THE ABUTMENT SURFACEBEING IN THE RANGE OF 2.5 TO 3 TIMES THE DIAMETER OF THE STEM.